Conveyer.



PATENTED NOV. 12, 1907.

0. BRADFORD. CONVEYER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 18

ZHIWIWITH llrlllllllllllllll well known manner.

1 UNITED srngps CHESTER BRADFORD, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

CONVEYER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 12, 1907.

Application filed April 18.1906. Serial No. 312,311.

of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Conveyers,

of which the following is a specification.

My present invention consists in certain improvements upon that shown and described in Letters Patent N 0. 806,643, issued to George L. Chatfield, December 5, 1905.

The nature of said improvements will appear hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof, and on whicli similar reference characters indicate similar parts, Figure l is a side elevation of an elevator and weigher as it appears when mounted on a threshing machine, the 5 cross conveyer being shown in end elevation; Fig. 2 a side elevation of the conveyer separately on an enlarged scale, a portion being broken out to permit of the use of the scale in question; Fig. 3 a central vertical sectional view similar to Fig.2; Fig. 4 an end elevation of the conveyer separately; Figs. 5 and 6 transverse vertical sectional views as seen when looking in the directions indicated by the arrows from the dotted lines 5 5 and (S 6 respectively in Fig. 3; Fig. 7 a fragmentary top or plan view partially in section, as seen when looking downwardly from the dotted line 7 7 in Fig. 3; Fig. 8 an enlarged sectional view of one end of the shaft and the knob thereon, and Fig. 9 a detail sectional view at the point indicatedby the dotted line 9 9 in Fig. 6.

The screw 21 has the usual shaft 22 and is surrounded by and operates in a tube or casing 23 in the usual and The free end of the shaft 22 rests in a bearing in the head or end 24 of this casing. This head or end 24 embodies one feature of my present invention. Instead of extending directly across the end of the tube or casing 23 it is of a bowl-like form, the bottom of the bowl extending some distance into the end of the casing and terminating in the bearing 25 for the shaftsaid bearing projecting still further within the chamber of the casing. By this means I am enabled to reduce the length of the shaft somewhat, which not only saves material but reduces the amount which said shaft projects when it is shifted toward this end of the structure.

Each end of the shaft 22 is provided with a handle 26 by means of which it is shifted back and forth. As the shaft rotates continuously during the operation of the conveyer this handle or knob must be loose in respect to it; and I have therefore mounted it loosely on the end of said shaft by means of a suitable stud 27the handle itself being in the form of a concave knob, and the stud by which it is connected to the shaft being provided with a head on one end entering a perforation in the end of the shaft where it may be secured in any suitable manner, as by a pin,a suitable pin fastening being plainly shown in Fig. 8.

Another feature of my present invention consists of an improved construction of the hopper at the grainrcceiving end of the conveyer. At the point where the tube 23 meets said hopper there is a combined connecting ring and hopper head 31, the ring portion of which constitutes a flange which surrounds the end of the tube 23, and is secured thereto by means of bolts or rivets 32. The form of this device is best shown in Fig. 5, wherein is illustrated the complete shape of the hopper cnd. Said part 31 is also flanged on the opposite side, and its lower portion receives the semi-cylindrical part 33, while its sides receive the two side members 34 and 35 of the hopper. The opposite end of the hopper is composed in part of the discharging mouth 41 and in part of a plate 42 of a shape having an exterior outline similar to that of the part 31. the opposite end of the semi-cylindrical portion The parts 31, 41 and 42 being light castings, and the parts 33, 34 and 35 being of sheet metal, I am able to produce a very light but at the same time a very strong and durable hopper. One very desirable feature of this hopper consists in the curved form of the inlet to the tube '23 as shown at the point marked a in Fig. 3. Conveyors of this kind work very rapidly; and heretofore at this inlet point the grain has met with such obstruction as to cause it to slobber or be thrown out. By making the inlet rounded at this point this difliculty is overcome.

The gears 51, 52 and 53 are similar to those in the Chatfield patent 806,843 above referred to. The housing 54 which carries said gears also serves the same purpose when it is in place and the gears are running. The conveyor however must be driven from varying points and varying directions; and with a housing extending entirely around, as shown in said Chatfield patent, said housing requires to be shifted in position according to the point from which the conveyer is driven. I have therefore (as best shown in Figs. 4, 6, 7 and 9), provided a construction of housing which is capable of being quickly and easily reversed. Said housing terminates in a plate which in the construction shown forms a part of the hopper head. This plate is uniform in outline on both sides so that it may be inserted one side up as well as the other. By means of two cars and bolts on each side, as shown, itcan be secured in place when put in either position. Therefore merely by removing these bolts, and taking out this housing, and reversing it, its open side may be caused to face in either direction, as may be desired. I am therefore able to provide for any kind of a drive at pleasure, and with but very little trouble.

Another feature of my invention consists in a support by means of which the cross conveyer may be shifted The mouth 41 has a flange 43 which receives .-the distance between the centers of the two sprocket wheels by means of whichthe screw is driven. As shown in Fig. 1, I provide a cradlelike support 61., secured to the bottom of the hopper and having downturned ends. To these ends I bolt brackets 62 which extend down and rest on a suitable support, as the bar or rod 63. As shown in Fig. 3, I make the lower ends of these brackets offset an amount equal to one-half the distance between the centers of the sprocket wheels. Thus, by simply turning these brackets one way or the other, I position the conveyer so that the driving chain 71 may run to one or the other of the sprocket wheels without shifting the position of said chain. This is a matter of considerable convenience, when needed, and does not impair the support when not needed.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. The combination, in a screw conveyer, of the tube or casing, an anger, an anger shaft, and a bowl-like end to the casing embodying a bearing for the shaftv 2. The combination, in a screw conveyer, of the tube or casing, the auger, an auger shaft adapted to be shifted endwise, handles secured to the ends of the shaft by which the shifting is effected, a bowl-like end secured to one end of the conveyer and embodying one of the bearings for the shaft, the cafity of the bowl being adapted to receive the adjacent handle when the shaft is shifted toward the opposite end of the conveyer.

3. The combination, in a screw conveyer, of the casing, an anger adapted to be moved endwise in said casing, and handles by which the movement of the shaft is effected consisting of knobs loosely mounted on studs secured to the ends of the shaft.

4. The combination, in a screw conveyeig'of the tube or casing, a receiving hopper consisting of a combined inner head and annular ring to which the tubular por tion of the casing is also connected, an outer head, a discharging mouth, a member connecting said annular ring and said discharging mouth on the lower side, and two side members connecting the two heads at the upper portion, substantially as shown and described.

5. The combination, in a conveyer, of a tubular casing provided with an inlet hopper at one end and discharging mouths at both ends, said hopper being curved or rounded at a point adjacent to the tubular portion of the casing whereby a rounded inlet is provided for the material being conveyed, and the conveying devices.

6. The comination, with a conveyor, the shaft whereof is adapted to be driven by either of two driving wheels arranged side by side thereon, of a support embodying offset and reversible brackets, whereby the position of the conveyr may be shifted a distance equal to the distance between the two driving wheels by reversing the position of said brackets.

'T. The combination,- in a conveyer, of the casing, the conveyer shaft, a train of gearing for driving said shaft, and a reversible housing for carrying said train of gearing having one open side,'whereby, by reversing said housing, the open side thereof may be presented in either direction.

8. The combination, in a conveyer, of the casing, the conveyer shaft, a train of gearing for driving said shaft, and a reversible housing for carrying said train of gearing having one open side, whereby, by reversing said housing, the open side thereof may be presented in either direction, a portion of said housing being in the form of a plate forming a part of one end of the hopper, the adjacent parts being formed to receive said plate.

9. The combination, in a conveyer, of the casing, the conveyer shaft, a train of gears for driving said shaft, means whereby said gears may be reversed by moving the shaft endw ise, knob-like handles at the ends of said shaft for moving it, and studs secured in longitudinal perforations in the ends of said shaft whereby said knob-like handles are secured thereto.

10. The combination, in a conveyer, of the casing, the conveyer shaft, a train of gears for driving said shaft, means whereby said gears may be reversed by moving the shaft endwise, knob-like handles at the ends of said shaft for moving it, and studs secured in longitudinal perforations in the ends of said shaft whereby said knob-like handles are secured thereto, and pins passing through the shaft and engaging with said studs whereby the latter are secured in place.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 16th day of April, A. D. one thousand nine hundred and six.

CHESTER BRADFORD. [1,. 8.]

Witnesses THOMAS W. MCMEANS, RUTH WORTHINGTON. 

